The much-anticipated launch of Disney's much anticipated ESPN Mobile will be pushed back to 2006, according to a statement issued by its partners.

Originally announced in December 2004, the new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) was scheduled for launch this year in partnership with Sprint. However, in a joint announcement today about preparations for supporting the new virtual carrier, ESPN's back-office provider Visage and billing provider Convergys said that the launch is now scheduled for early 2006.

ESPN Mobile's launch will be a first in the U.S. While most MVNOs launched so far have focused on specific demographics, such as youth or minority markets, ESPN's launch will narrow that focus to a particular type of content consumer: the sports fan. ESPN is one of the most recognizable brands in sports and Disney can leverage the entertainments group reams of content into multimedia and entertainment services packaged with wireless subscription.

ESPN Mobile has spent the last few months collecting partners for its upcoming launch. Sprint signed on in December to supply the infrastructure and service platform. In March, ESPN hired Convergys to provide billing under its Infinys billing and ratings software. As part of its Convergys partnership, Visage will supply back office support for the MVNO.